Hand-straps for cars and other conveyances.



PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

B. E. RIBS. HAND STRAP FOR CARS AND OTHER GONVEYANCES.

APPLICATION .IILED FEB. 27. 190!- 8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 866,812. PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

- B. E. RIBS. HAND STRAP FOR CARS AND OTHER 'GONVEYANGES'.

APPLICATION mm) mm. 27. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I 1n: namns PETERS co..'wxsumcro-. o. c.

,No. 866,812. PATENYTBD SEPT. 24, 1907.

E. E. RIBS. HAND STRAP FOR CARS AND OTHER GONVEYANUES.

APPLICATION FILED P5127. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'ru: mmms PETERS o., WASHINGIGN, n. c,

UNITED STATES .ELIAS E. RIES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAND-STEAK} FOR CARS AND OTHER CONVEYANCES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24:, 1907.

Application filed. February 27, 1904. Serial No. 195,536.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS E. RIES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-Iand- Straps for Cars and other Conveyances, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved, self-bracing safety hand-strap for railway cars and other vehicles, so designed and constructed as to afford a perfectly flexible, yet at the same time a rigid, firm and stable, as well as a thoroughly comfortable and restful support for standing passengers.

By my invention a passenger is able to sustain himself and maintain his equilibrium without appreciable muscular strain or effort when the motion of such railway car or other vehicle is accelerated or retarded, as in starting or stopping; or changes its direction of mo- 'tion, as in taking a cross-over or turning a curve on the road; or has a jolting motion due to irregularities in the roadbed or other causes.

As is well known, the ordinary hand-straps such as those heretofore provided for the accommodation of standing passengers in street cars, elevated and underground railway trains and other vehicles, though primarily intended to prevent the lurching and swaying of such passengers back and forth and from side to side with the varying movements of the vehicle, accomplish their object very imperfectly, if at all. Such failure to perform this intended function is particularly noticeable and especially objectionable and injurious where the rate or direction of movement of the vehicle is more or less suddenly varied, as is usually and almost necessarily the case in the operation of high speed urban passenger cars or trains, where rapid ae- COlOlZllllOll and retardation is more or less essential to the maintenance of the running schedule. This (lefect of the ordinary hand-strap, and the discomfort and inconvenience to passengers caused thereby, is due to the fact that the construction of the strap is such that its point of suspension from the hand-rail or running rod, (on which it is usually strung with others in the form of a single vertically pendent loop), becomes at the same time the actual pivotal point of support for the passenger clinging to the lower end of the strap, since such point of suspension acts as a fulcrum about which the strap is free to swing in'any direction. In other words, the free end of the ordinary strap describes the arc of circle whose radius or sweep is determined by the length of the strap; consequently, its lower end, which is grasped by and is intended to constitute the point of support for the passenger, does not in fact constitute such support, since in practice it is continually moved out of its normal position either by the inertia or by the acquired momentum of the passenger.

The former causes him to lurch backward when the car is suddenly started or has its motion accelerated, while the latter causes him to swing forward when the car is stopped or has its motion retarded. Furthermore, this pendulum or swinging movement of the ordinary strap resolves itself into a combined horizontal-circular sweep whenever the car turns a curve or takes a crossover or switch. This composite motion of the free end of the strap is, if anything, more annoying to the passenger than a simple longitudinal or transverse movement alone and interferes greatly with the maintenance of his equilibrium, since its effect cannot be so readily guarded against by spreading the feet or legs, a practice that is now frequently resorted to by standing passengers in order to protect themselves against bodily injury due to the causes just mentioned.

By my present invention I am enabled not only to overcome all of the disadvantages and difficulties incident to the use of the ordinary style of hand strap as above recited, whereby the comfort and safety of travel in crowded vehicles is greatly enhanced, but I also secure certain additional advantages and provide other features of novelty and utility that will be more fully referred to hereinafter, and which I believe will materially enhance the benefits to be derived from my improvements.

The principal feature of my invention is a flexible hand-strap so constructed as to be self-bracing and which is so supported upon the hand-rod as to maintain the hand-loop at the lower end of the strap, which hand-loop in this instance constitutes the actual point of support for the individual or passengeiy in a substantially fixed position, so that while capable of a limited yielding motion under certain conditions, it cannot ordinarily be moved from its normal position by the forward and backward motion of the car, nor by the swaying of the passenger occasioned thereby, nor by his pushing or. pulling against the same. Furthermore, by my invention the horizontal-circular motion of the free end of the strap before alluded to is prevented, thereby affording passengers a firm, restful and stable support under all conditions, whether the car is traveling upon straight portions of the track or upon a curve. In addition, the straps are either permanently or automatically self-spacing and are not subject to the objectionable creeping motion that leads to the bunching of straps along the hand-rod, while at the 'same time, in the preferred form of my invention, freely permitting the adjustment or movement of the individual straps along said hand-rod to suit the convenience of the traveler. These results I accomplish by providing an improved strap which is supported from the hand-rod at two widely separated points and whose pendent sides are inclined away from each other and are permanently separated, commencing at or near the point Where the strap is grasped by the hand, so as to present the appearance, when mounted in position on the running-rod or when their upper extremities are connected by the spreader or spacing bar hereinafter referred to, of a braced strap of V shaped or triangular form. The inclined side portions of the strap converge and meetat a hand-held or hand-loop formed in the strap at its lower extremity, which latter constitutes the apex of the triangle and the point of support for the individual or passenger. This hand-loop is located in a vertical plane substantially midway between the divergent upper ends of the strap or below the center of the rigid spacing-bar that constitutes the base of the inverted triangle, thus forming a three-sided braced strap having one rigid and two flexible sides, the free or lower end of which will be substantially unchanged in position by any change in the'motion of the car, no matter how violent this may be. The separated upper ends of the strap are preferably connected by the spreader-bar where this is used, at a point just behind and parallel with the running-rod of the car, so that the separating or spreader-bar is practically invisible. This construction renders the triangle rigid and permits of easily adjusting or shifting the strap to any desired point of the running-rod, where it will remain until moved by slightly lifting the strap by its hand-loop and sliding it into a different position along the same, since the construction of the strap is such that it is not readily rocked or moved out of position by the jolting of the car. It will also be evident that the hand-loop or point of support of the passenger cannot be shifted out of position by any ordinary swaying motion imparted to the passenger by the movement of the car, since owing to its widely divergent sides, any forward or backward motion of the passenger will be immediately resolved into an increased pull upon one or the other side of the strap in a prolongation of the direction in which such side is already inclined, thereby making the strap automatically self-bracing and affording the passenger an absolutely firm footing. By this construction, furthermore, any lateral or side movement of the hand-loop is restricted to a limited are along a vertical plane corresponding to the center of the strap, so that the strap also offers a substantially rigid support in rounding curves.

A further object of my invention is to utilize my improved hand strap as a medium for the convenient and advantageous exhibition of advertising cards or similar display matter, without interfering with the view of the ordinary advertising panels or space now devoted to such purposes. To this end I make use of one or more special forms of metal spreader, preferably of U shaped cross-section, provided with spring lingers or clips capable of receiving and firmly retaining such advertising or display cards, which latter are at the same time capable of being readily removed and inserted and which may be either of cardboard or thin sheet metal. As provided for in the preferred form of my invention, this card holding medium (the spreader) is invisible and is so constructed and combined with the divergent ends of the strap, as to normally display the card in a vertical position at a point behind and above the hand-rod, where they are beyond the reach of the passenger and cannot be tampered with.

My improved hand-straps may be made either in the form of separated, independent units, or they may be formed from a single piece or length of leather, canvas or other suitable material so as to constitute a continuous series of hanging or pendent supports possessing the general characteristics already described. In the latter case, the divergent sides of the several straps of the series are usually held in a substantially fixed position on the running-rod, either by suitable stops on the running-rod (such as the brackets by which said rodis fastened to the car or other vehicle,)

which stops prevent the movement of the series as a whole, or by fastening devices, such as screws or other similar means, for properly spacing and positively locating each element or strap of the series, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of a properly shaped hand-hold for the strap at the point of support, such hand-hold being made either by shaping the leather of the strap to the desired form or by inserting in the loop of the strap at the point of support a molded section of leather or other suitable material conforming to the shape of the hand. In connection with this shaped hand-hold I also prefer to provide means for spreading the two sides of each strap apart and maintaining them in operative positions. When the strap is spread in this manner I am enabled to dispense with fastening devices for holding the strap to the running-rod, as well as with stops on the running-rod for spreading the sides and limiting the movement of the strap on such rod.

When my improved straps are made in the form of separate or independent units, the divergent sides of the same are permanently separated at their upper ends by a separate spreader-bar of rigid material that is riveted or otherwise fastened to the strap so as to form an integral part of the same as already described,

-so that each strap constitutes a separate trianglev These straps have the advantage of being independently adjustable or movable along the running rod,

while at the same time they are automatically selfspacing; that is to say, the hand-loops of any two adjacent straps will always be separated by a distance at least equal to the length of the spreader-bar, or the'dis tance that separates the upper extremities of the divergent sides of the strap at their outer ends, thus preventing bunching of the straps and affording the passenger more ready means for quickly grasping the strap.

The spreader may be either in the form of an open tube partially surrounding and resting upon the running rod and provided with depending ears for holding the upper ends of the strap, or it may be, and preferably is, made of a separate bar of thin sheet metal bent upon itself in such a way as to constitute a spring-clip for holding an advertising card, and having its ends, respectively, fastened to the two upper extremities of the strap independently of the running-rod. In the latter case the strap is folded over and riveted upon itself in such a manner as to comprise three widely separated loops, the two upper loops engaging the running-rod and the lower loop forming the hand-held, the spreader being preferably riveted or otherwise secured to the two upper loops at a point immediately behind and in the same horizontal plane with the running-rod, so that only the flexible portion of the strap remains visible.

Other features of my invention not hereinbefore referred to will be hereinafter described, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation showing a series of similar single straps made from a continuous length of leather or equivalent material fastened at suitable points to the running-rod to form hanging-straps properly spaced for supporting passengers, the individual straps thus formed having hand-holds shaped to form comfortable grips. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a continuous length of leather or equivalent material spaced and fastened to form supports extending different distances downward from the running rod for the convenience of passengers of different heights. Fig. 3 shows, in side elevation, a broad sheet of leather or other flexible material folded over with its ends overlapping, riveted and cut to form, when spread .out, a series of double straps. Fig. f is a similar view of the same, with the separate straps spread, positioned on the rod, and hav ing the gripping portions shaped to form convenient hand-holds. Fig. 5 is a pers iective view of one of said straps. Fig. 1') is an end elevation of the same. Figs. 7, 8, F) and 10 are side elevations of various forms of my improved strap, and show different forms of grips, methods of locating on the running-rod and means for displaying advertising and other matter. Fig. ll is a developed view of an indiv dual blank in the form of a leather strap or other flexible strip or webbing from which one form of my hanging strap is made, showing the ends of the webbing split and punched out at the inner ends of the slits. Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the slitted ends of the webbing spread out to form the sides of a triangular hanging strap. Fig. 13 shows how two straight narrow lengths of webbing or two ordinary narrow straps may be connected to form a triangular strap. Fig. l4 is an end elevation of a hanging strap and attaclu-d advertising device similar to that shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 15 is an enlarged View of a portion of the same. Fig. 16 is an end elevation of the hanging strap shown in Fig. 8, illustrated as being made up from two narrow strips of webbing or straps such as shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 17 isan enlarged cross section of the grip portion of the strap shown in Fig. 10, with the inclosed spring for spreading and locating the two halves of the triangular strap. F lS shows a coiled spring such as I may employ for the same purpose. Fig. 1.) is a perspective view of the combined spreader and card holding device such shown in Figs. l 4 and l5. Fig. 20 is a detail of the tubular spreading device shown in Fig. 8 for the same purpose. Figs. 2l and show portions of running-rods, Fig. 2i having pins inserted therein, and Fig. '22 being cut away, to form projections which act stops to limit the movement of certain forms of my improved hand straps along a rod and at the same time allow the strap to be moved from place to place along the rod.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Fig. l, l have here shown a series of hanging straps formed from one continuous web or strip of leather or other flexible material, each strap having widely separated points of support for the strap and a point of support for an individual. This web is fastened to the running-rod at suitable intervals to form a succession of approximately triangular hangingstraps. The running-rod is designated by 2, the web bing by 3, and devices, such as screws, are shown at 4 for attaching the webbing to the running-rod. Each of the hanging-straps thus formed preferably has at the point of support of the individual a shaped hand-hold 5, preferably convexed, whch may be made by bending the edges of the strap over onto each other at this point and sewing or otherwise securing the edges together to form a rounded hand-hold for the passenger. A hanging-strap made up of two sides converging from their points of support at the running-rod toward the point of support of the individual affords a very rigid support, as each side of the strap will resist any tendency to sway with sudden changes in the movement of the car in which the strap is hung, especially if the two sides areinclined at a sufficient angle, as would be the case in practice, to approximately coincide with the angle or direction of the forward and backward pull exerted thereon by the passenger under the influence, respectively, of inertia or of acquired momentum. This is particularly so when the weight of the passenger is borne by the strap at the hand-hold or point of support 5 for the passenger, as the weight of said passenger I will draw each side of the hanging strap taut and the two sides will then constitute a stiff braced support which will have practically no tendency to change the position of the lower end 5.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a construction identical with that shown in Fig. 1, except that the length of webbing is fastened to the running-rod at such points as to form straps of different lengths, instead of straps of uniform length as shown in Fig. 1. In this view 3 designates the sides of the longer straps, 3 the sides of the shorter straps, 4 the supporting or fastening devices for the straps, and 5 the shaped hand-holds. A, series of straps of unequal lengths is a convenience for passengers of different heights, and the lengths of these straps in a series may be as varied as desired.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a modili cation of my invention, in which a series of hanging-straps is made by taking a broad band or sheet of canvas leather or other suitable material 6, and folding its ends over on each other, the dotted line 77 showing the upper edge of the lower end of the strip and SS the lower edge of the upper end of the strip, these ends overlapping. The overlapping portions are then stitched or riveted. as at 1]., to the opposite side of the sheet at suitable intervals and slits made from opposite ends alternately, as shown at 9 and 10, this strip when spread and positioned on the running-rod assuming the form shown in Fig. 4. Suitable stops, such as l-i, are illustrated on the running-rml 2 for spreading the individual straps, only two such stops being shown herein, one at each end of the series of straps formed from the sheet 6. These stops may, if desired, consist of the brackets that support the running-rod.

It will be noticed that the straps formed in this manner are double or looped straps the upper looped portions of which rest on and may be shifted along the runningr(.id 2, while the lower loop portions constitute the handholds, the two loops so formed being closed loops, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, and being so formed by the mode of connecting the ends of the sheet of leather or other material to one side of the sheet by means of the fastening devices 1].. In this construction,

as in those shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a hand-hold is shaped in the proper form to provide a rounded or convex grip portion 5 at the lower end of the double loops formed by the double side portions 3 In order to permit the two sides of each hanging strap to spread freely and at the same time check the further splitting of the material, the inner ends of the slit portions of the material may be punched out, as indicated at 15 and 16. The straps may, for further security, be reinforced or protected at or immediately below the points where bifurcation commences, in any suitable or desirable manner, so as to till further check any tendency to splitting or tearing of the material at said points.

In Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive I have illustrated various types of individual hanging straps which embody the feature of a shaped hand-hold or grip portion at the lower end of the straps, and Figs. 7 and 8 also illustrate two ways in which advertising cards may be combined with the straps without interfering with the latter. In Fig. '7 I have shown an individual strap similar in construction to those of the series represented in Fig. 4, and the various parts are designated by corresponding reference characters. In this form of strap it will be seen that the hand-hold or grip portion 5 is shaped or molded directly in the material usually leather, constituting the strap itself, this grip portion being rounded or convexed sufficiently to fit easily into the hand of the person supported by the strap. In this figure I have also shown a device for holding advertising cards, this device being preferably a spreader in the form of a clip into which the advertising card may be inserted and held in place by frictional engagement so as to be readily removed. The clip shown in this view is designated generally by 20, and is fastened to the strap behind the running-rod, the clip portions being, in this construction, formed by ears 21 disposed in pair's at the end of the clip and adapted to engage an advertising or similar card 22 between them. Instead of the ears 21, however, I may make the clip portions continuous throughout practically the entire length of the spreader so as to have a firmer hold upon the lower edge of the card 22, as indicated, for example, in Fig. 8. This strap is shiftable along the running-rod 2 to various positions, and in this construction may be located in place by stop-pins, such as 14 arranged at intervals along the rod; although the use of such stop-pins are not necessary when the strap is provided with an individual spacing-bar or spreader as just described. The red 20 is a combined spacing-bar and clip which is ordinarily fastened to one of the loops of the strap near the upper end of the loop by means of a rivet so as to form a pivoted joint which permits the spacing-bar or clip to be folded parallel with the strap for packing purposes, the free end of the spacing-bar being movable into engagement with the opposite loop when the bifurcated portions of the strap are spread preparatory to permanently assembling these parts.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated a modified form of individual strap the sides of which are formed from two single straps 3, these straps being connected at their lower ends by a separate piece 5 also shaped to form a hand-held having a convex face. This strap is not secured directly to the running-rod 2 but instead it is fastened by the devices 4 to ears 25 depending from a clip 20 tubular 1n form and shiftable along the running-rod to different positions. The clip-jaws proper of this device are designated by 21 and depend from the tubular portion so as to suspend the advertising or similar card 22 therefrom between the sides 3 of the strap, the positions of these parts being such, however, as not to interfere with the proper use of the strap.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a single strap identical in construction with one element of the series illustrated in Fig. l, and the various parts of this strap are designated by corresponding reference characters. In this view I have shown the manner in which the side edges of the hand-held are sewed together by a line of stitching 30.

In Fig. 10 I have illustrated another type of single strap in which the upper ends of a single piece of material are formed into small loops 32, the sides of this strap being turned flatwise of the running-rod .2, as shown at 3", instead of edgewise as shown in Fig. 9. At the lower end thereof the sides of this strap are suitably twisted, turned over, and sewed together by a line of stitching 30 to form a handheld or grip portion 5, which is also convex.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have shown the blank from which the individual straps such as those illustrated in Fig. 7 are formed. This blank is split along the lines 9 and 10 substantially as is the blank shown in Fig. 3, and is provided with similar punched openings 15 and I6 In Fig. 13 I have illustrated how the strap shown in Fig. 8 is formed from two separate narrow straps of leather or other material 3 by connecting them near their centers by means of a separate piece of material which may also be of leather, suitably shaped to form the separate hand -hold 5 sewed to the straps 3".

Figs. 14 and 15 show in detail the manner in which a strap and a clip of the type illustrated in Fig. 7 and designated by corresponding reference characters, are constructed, these views illustrating particularly the U-shaped form of the clip and the holding means 40 for securing it to the strap. Fig. 16 illustrates in a similar manner the construction of the clip shown in Fig. 8, the details of both forms of clips being clearly represented in Figs. 19 and 20. As already stated, the shape of these card-holding clips may be varied by me to suit special requirements.

In Fig. 17 I have shown the manner in which the hand-held 5" is formed and also how the two sides of the strap of the type represented in Fig. 10 are positively held apart so as to maintain them in their proper positions. Here the lower portion of the strap is bent around and the edges brought together and sewed along the line 30 to form a convex portion or handheld proper 5, which is provided with a suitable filler 42. The means for spreading the sides of the strap will usually be a spring, such for example as that shown at 43, or it may be a helical spring 43 of the type illustrated in Fig. 18 tapering from its center toward its ends to conform somewhat to the shape of the grip portion.

In Figs. 21 and 22, two different ways are illustrated in which stops may be provided on a running-rod for locating the points of support of the strap illustrated in Fig. 10 and permitting the position of the strap to be changed. In the Inst of these the rod 2 has pins projecting therefrom, as shown in Fig. 7, while in Fig.

22 the rod 2 has integral steps 14 formed by cutting away portions of the upper surface of the rod.

What I claim is:

1. A hand strap for cars and other conveyances having at one end thereof a pair of widely separated points of sup port for the strap and at the other end thereof a convex hand-hold or grip portion integral with the material of the strap and formed therefrom by turning over and fastening together the edges of the strip.

2. A hand strap for cars and other conveyances having at one end thereof a pair of widely separated points of support for the strap and at the other end thereof a point of support for an individual, and elastic means normally tending to spread the sides of said strap.

3. A hand strap for cars and other conveyances having at one end thereof a pair of widely separated points for the strap and at the other end thereof a point of support for an individual, and a spring inserted in said strap and normally lending to spread the sides of the same.

-l. A hand strap for cars and other conveyances having at one end thereof a pair of widely separated points of support for the strap and at the other end thereof a point of support for an individual, and a helical spring tapered from its center toward its ends inserted in said strap and normally tending to spread the sides of the same.

The combination with a running-rod of a car, of a hand strap supported at its upper end by said rod at ,two widely separated points and having at its lower end a point of support. for an individual, and a spring-clip associated with said strap and having its edges in juxtaposition for frictionally clamping and holding an advertising or similar card.

6. The combination with a running-rod of a car, of a hand strap supported at its upper end b Y said rod at two widely separated points and shiftable along said rod and having at its lower end a point of support for an individual, and a spring-clip secured to said strap and movable therewith and having its edges in juxtaposition for frictionally clamping and holding an advertising or similar card.

7. The combination with a runningrod of a car, of a tubular clip mounted on and shiftable along said rod for friclionally holding an advertising or similar card, and a hand strap secured at its upper end to said clip at two widely separated points and having at its lower end a point of support for an individual.

8. The combination with a running-rod of a car, of a hand strap having at its upper end two widely separated points of support for the strap and at its lower end a point of support for an individual, and a spacing-bar made of sheet-metal and having an arched strengthening portion the sides of which are flattened and substantially in juxta position and which is connected with the two sides of the st 1p adjacent to its points of support, said strap and spacing-bar being carried by said running-rod.

D. The combination with the running-rod of a car, of a hand strap having at its upper end two widely sepa 'ated points of support for the strap and at its lower end a point of support for an individual, and a substantially U-shaped spacingbar connecting the two sides of the strap adjacent to its points of support'having flattened sides substantially in juxtaposition, said strap and spacing-bar being carried by said running-rod.

10. A V'shaped hand strap having a spring metal spacing-bar extending across its upper extremities, said spac ing-bar being provided with flexible lips designed and adapted to receive and hold an advertising card.

11. A V-shaped hand-strap for cars and other vehicles comprising a flexible body portion of leather or equivalent material having loops adapted to fit over and he movable along a ruhninga'od, in combination with a rigid metal spacing or other separating bar secured to the loops 0f the strap at a point behind the running-rod and parallel therewith, whereby the spacing device is concealed from view by said running-bar, said spacing-bar being designed to re e ve and hold an advertising card or device.

12. A V-shaped hand-strap for cars and other conveyances, said strap having at its upper end a spacing-bar or spreader in the form of a spring clip adapted to hold an advertising or display card.

13. A V-shaped handstrap for cars and other conveyances, said strap being formed from a single piece of flexible material and having at its upper end a spacing-bar or spreader in the form of a spring-clip adapted to re ceive and hold an advertising or display card.

11. A V'shaped hand-strap for cars and other conveyances, said strap being bifurcated and provided with a spacing-bar or spreader pivotally secured to one of its bifurcated extremities in such a manner as to permit of the spreader being folded parallel with the sides of the strap for packing purposes and to permit it to be moved into locking engagement with the opposite bifurcated extremity of the strap, said opposite extremity being provided with a stud or equivalent means designed and adapted to retain the free end of the spreader so as to permanently separate the bifurcated sides of the strap when the latter is mounted upon the running-bar or handrail of the car or other conveyance.

15. A self-bracing V-shaped l1and-strap formed from a single piece of flexible material and having its free ends permanently separated by a rigid spacing-bar bridging the same, the angle of inclinationformed by the sides of the V-shaped strap corresponding approximately to the angle or direction of the forward or backward pull which a passenger holding the strap would exert upon the same under the influence of inertia or momentum, respectively.

16. As a new article of manufacture, a hand-strap for cars and other conveyances having one rigid and two flexible sides joined together at the respective extremities thereof. in such a manner that the three sides of said strap form the boundaries of a triangle, the said rigid member or side being pivoted at a point behind the upper end of one ot the flexible sides and being adapted to engage with a stud or equivalent device behind the upper end of the other flexible side, whereby the three sides of the triangle formed by said strap may be folded together.

17. As a new article of manufacture, a triangularshaped hand-strap comprising a flexible strap-portion having divergent legs, and a rigid spreader-bar secured at its ends to the upper extremities of said legs, respectively, and constituting the base of said triangle, said spreaderbar being pivoted to the upper ends of the strap-portion in a plane parallel with the sides of the strap and in such a manner that it may be folded upon the strap to facilitate transportation of the same.

18. As a new article of manufacture, a triangular hand-strap for cars and other conveyances, said strap comprising one flexible and one rigid member, the flexible member being bifurcated and having its free ends spread apart and in engagement with the extremities of the rigid member and also having a suitable hand-hold or gripportion at or near said point of bifurcation, the said rigid member being permanently pivoted to the rear of one extremity of the flexible member and being adapted to removably engage with the rear of the other extremity of said flexible member, so that the several sides of the strap may be folded together, substantially as set forth.

1?). As a new article of manufacture, a self-bracing hand-strap for cars and other conveyances, the same comprising a flexible V-shaped strap formed from a single piece of material and having two widely separated points oi support upon the hand-rail or running-rod of the car or other conveyance, said strap being provided with a rigid, non-flexible member in the form of a spreader bridging its said points of support immediately behind and in a plane parallel and horizontal with the said hand rail or running-rod, substantially as set forth.

2o. As a new article of manufacture, a self-bracing hand-strap for cars and other conveyances, the same comprising a flexible V-shaped strap having two widely separated points of support upon the hand-rail or strapsupporting rod of the car or other conveyance, in combination with a rigid, non-flexible spreader bridging its said points of support immediately behind or upon the said hand-rail and in a plane parallel therewith, said spreader being provided with means for removably holding a suitable display card or device, substantially as set forth.

21. As a new article of manufacture, a self-bracing hand-strap for cars and other conveyances, the same consisting of a flexible V-shaped strap having two widely separated points of support upon the hand-rail or strapsupporting rod of the car or conveyance, a rigid, nonflexible, metal spreader permanently bridging the points of support of the strap at a point immediately behind or upon the handrail and movable along the latter with said strap, said spreader having one of its longitudinal sides provided with spring clips or equivalent means for removably holding an advertising card or device in such a manner as to display the same immediately above or 10 below the level of said hand-rail, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State 01' New York, this 25th day of February, A. D. 190-1.

ELIAS E. RIES.

Witnesses 1 mun CHAS. EGnn, C. S. CRAWFORD. 

